This invention relates to fishing equipment and more particularly to a vise for tying fishing flies.
When tying fishing flies, typically, a vise is employed to hold the hook while feathers, tinsel or the like are tied to the hook to create an artificial fly that simulates the appearance of a natural fly in order to attract a fish. Also, some artificial flies are created that do not specifically imitate any natural insect, but still accomplish the desired purpose of attracting a fish.
In accordance with the prior art, fly tying vises are provided with two jaw members or two split anvil members, typically metal, that are compressed together to clamp onto a fishing hook placed therebetween. The hook is held by the compressed anvil members while the fly is tied. A major problem with a design of this type is that it depends upon the coefficient of friction of the anvil members and the hook (typically hard steel against hard steel, which is 0.78 under ideal conditions). If the hook is not held sufficiently well, it will move while being tied, which is undesirable. The fly tier must therefore apply a great deal of force to ensure that the hook is tightly clamped. This leads to a great deal of frustration for the fly tier with the vise and can result in rapid wear of the vise, requiring maintenance or replacement.
Depending on the particular design of the artificial fly, material or thread may be desired to be tied down along a significant portion of the lower xe2x80x9cbendxe2x80x9d region of the fishing hook. Since with the anvil type vises, the lower bend portion is where the anvil members typically engage the hook, it becomes difficult to make such flies. In an attempt to resolve some of these issues, U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,631 employs a band that loops over the top of an anvil and over the body of the hook, whereby when the band is pulled downwardly, the hook is trapped in a slot in the anvil. However, this design only engages the hook with the anvil at the point where the band crosses over the hook body. If smaller size hooks are used, there is a greater likelihood that the hook can move or rotate within the vise. Also, as the anvil slot wears through use, the likelihood of such rotation or movement increases.
Many people who tie flies like to be able to take their fly tying projects with them when fishing or traveling. However, many fly tying vises are not compact and do not break down to an easily transportable configuration. Further, many vises have a limited mounting clamp mouth size, making it impossible to mount the vise to a relatively thick table, such as a picnic table or a trade show table. As such, it can be necessary to carry a separate mounting board that is clamped to the thick table with, for example, large C-clamps. Then, the fly tying vise is clamped to the separate mounting board. While this compromise is functional, such a situation unnecessarily increases the amount of items that must be packed around when fly tying on the road.
In accordance with the invention, a fly tying vise is provided with an extensible eye bolt having a hook receiving slot therein. A hook is passed through the slot, and the eye bolt is retracted to secure the hook against the top of the slot and the anvil of the clamping mechanism. A three-point engagement with the hook is thus provided, for securing the hook against movement, while enabling access to a large portion of the hook bend without interference by the vise.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved fly tying vise.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved fly tying vise that accommodates a range of hook sizes.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved fly tying vise that engages the hook while blocking access to only a minimal portion of the body of the hook.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved fly tying vise with a vertical mounting post design that is less likely to be in the way of the fly tier""s hands during use.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved fly tying vise that engages the hook at 3 points thereon.
Yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved fly tying vise that securely engages a variety of hook sizes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved mounting structure for a fly tying vise that will accommodate a variety of mounting situations.
Still a further object of the present invention to provide an improved fly tying vise that securely engages a variety of hook sizes, while enabling the hook shank center line to be substantially aligned with a rotational axis of the vise.
An additional object of the present invention to provide an improved fly tying vise that accommodates both left and right handed users.
A further object of the present invention to provide an improved fly tying vise that quickly disassembles for storage and transport.
The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, both the organization and method of operation, together with further advantages and objects thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements.